Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1141) to ensure that the United States promotes the meaningful participation of women in mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1141. Now, this is the Women, Peace, and Security Act. This is the Senate companion to the bill H.R. 2484 that the House passed earlier this session. That bill was authored by Representatives Kristi Noem and Jan Schakowsky, and I want to thank them; and I, of course, want to thank, also, Ranking Member Engel. I want to thank them collectively for their leadership on this important issue.

I also want to thank Senators Corker, Cardin, Shaheen, and Capito for working so well with us in the Senate.

I want to thank our assistant staff director, Jessica Kelch. I want to thank her for her essential work on this important legislation.

I am happy to say that, with House passage today, this legislation will go to the President's desk.

As I noted when this bill passed the House in June, this moment is really a culmination of years of bipartisan work by Members of Congress, including Jan Schakowsky and Kristi Noem. It is also the work of prior and current administration officials and the many advocates who want to see better, more sustainable solutions to ending wars, to combating terrorism, and to improving human rights around the world. What we are saying today is that women's participation is essential to confronting these fundamental challenges.

Last Congress, the Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing, part of its series of women in foreign affairs, where we heard powerful testimony about the importance of including women in the peace processes around the world.

It is an obvious point that many are aware of that, without the participation of women, peace would not have come to Northern Ireland in those discussions nor would the peace have held.

So now it may seem obvious that women should have an opportunity to represent their communities as a matter of right; they make up half the population. And what negotiation or agreement can claim to represent women if their very participation is barred?

But our hearing also emphasized why women's participation in the peace processes is important if we care about the likelihood of the success of that process. Simply put, when women are at the negotiation table, peace is more likely.

Compelling research shows that peace agreements are likely to be reached and are likely to last when women's groups are meaningfully involved. Women peacemakers often press warring parties to move beyond mere power-sharing agreements, which benefit only a small percentage of fighters, to more comprehensive and longer term accords, which benefit the civilian population as a whole, which benefits the next generation of that country.

We have seen this play out. We saw it play out, as I said, in Northern Ireland. We saw it play out in Colombia; we saw it in Rwanda; we saw it in Sri Lanka, where women's groups have pushed for practical solutions to deescalate and resolve the conflict.

In fact, later today, I will be speaking with Liberia's President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, whom I am proud to call a friend of many, many years. Of course, President Sirleaf and the women of Liberia represent what can be accomplished when women become involved in ending conflict.

After many failed attempts by politicians, combatants, and the international community, it was the women of Liberia who forged an end to one of West Africa's longest running and most brutal conflicts. We must learn from history.

Efforts to ``keep the peace'' through policing and peacekeeping missions also benefit from women's participation, which leads to better crime reporting and higher levels of trust within the communities they serve.

And women are essential to confronting one of the greatest national security threats of our time: the spread of violent extremism around the world. When we look at who confronts jihadists and who teaches their children--if they have access to education, they can teach their children--women are truly on the front lines of this fight. They often possess unique insights into their families and communities and are capable of gathering information that men cannot, yet their input is frequently overlooked.

We must acknowledge women as partners in this fight, and that is why the legislation before us today recognizes that it is in our national interest to promote women's participation in resolving violence and conflict.

This concept has been building support for some time: the Bush administration pressed hard for women's participation in peace negotiations and the political process in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and elsewhere; the Obama administration expanded on these programs to require a governmentwide approach to women's inclusion in conflict resolution overseas; and the current administration has said that the State Department's Office of Global Women's Issues will continue to focus on these issues. I am eager to see an Ambassador nominated to lead that office.

The bipartisan legislation before us today builds on these efforts. It will continue to require a governmentwide strategy to promote women's participation, along with specific goals and benchmarks and reporting to Congress in order to gauge progress. And it also requires that appropriate State, USAID, and Defense Department personnel receive training in how to facilitate women's participation in conflict resolution, security initiatives, and efforts to protect civilians from violence and from exploitation.

I urge all Members to support passage today, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, whether we are talking about Liberia, or Northern Ireland, or anywhere else where this world is in conflict, we have watched women play pivotal roles in advocating before governments, or before combatants, or in front of politicians, to bring an end to conflict.

In recent years, we have seen armed conflicts flare around the world, producing the largest number of refugees that we have ever seen on record. Efforts to negotiate an end to these conflicts are more important than they have ever been. We know that when women are included in these discussions, we are more likely to see an enduring peace as a result.

As a witness at our hearing on women's participation explained to us, including women is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. The legislation before us today will strengthen U.S. efforts to promote the inclusion of women in peace negotiations in order to create more sustainable agreements and more stable partners for the United States and for our allies.

Again, I want to thank Representatives Noem and Schakowsky and the bill's Senate sponsors for their bipartisan work on this measure; and, as always, Ranking Member Engel, for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ranking Member Engel for yielding to me, and I rise in strong support of the Women, Peace, and Security Act.

I first want to thank my Republican colead on this bill, Kristi Noem, for her hard work; and I want to express my gratitude to Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their robust support for this legislation.

I want to thank Senator Shaheen and Senator Capito for their work in the Senate on this, as well as Senators Corker and Cardin.

I want to thank the staff who has put in a lot of hours on this, last session and this session, including my staff, Cassandra Varanka.

Around the world, women are disproportionately affected by conflict and violence. At the same time, women are acting as some of the most effective advocates for peace. Again and again, women have proven their ability to advance peacemaking efforts where others have failed.

Look at Syria. In the town of Zabadani, women have been leading efforts to save their city from violence. Over 470 women signed a public petition, calling for a cease-fire. Their town had been under siege, experiencing daily shelling and barrel bombings. As the formal negotiations between the rebel-controlled local council and the Assad government constantly broke down, the war prevented the town from planting crops.

A group of women peace activists came together to found a group called Damma, and they facilitated negotiations between the local council, the Free Syrian Army, and the Islamic brigades. Where the traditional actors had failed, these women moved through five rounds of negotiations, ultimately achieving a cease-fire. Now, the cease-fire only lasted 40 days, but those 40 days gave the town critical time to plant crops and address its food shortage.

The power of women to advance peace and aid in postconflict reconciliation is not limited to Syria. Women in Liberia played a crucial role in bringing warring parties to the negotiating table, as the chairman said.

When the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front signed a major peace agreement in 2004, women made up 50 percent of the government's negotiating team and 25 percent of the signatories.

In Ireland, women helped ensure that the Good Friday Agreement included social issues, reconciliation measures, and compensation for victims of violence.

Women around the world are actively working to advance peace talks and ensure successful transformation from conflict to peace. Passing the Women, Peace, and Security Act will ensure that the United States actively supports these incredible women as we work toward ending conflict around the world.

When women are involved in the negotiations, peace is more likely to last. In fact, the International Peace Institute found that, with each 5 percent increase in women's participation in the political process, a nation is five times less likely to use violence when faced with international crisis or conflict.

Despite the strong evidence in favor of women's political participation, women remain underrepresented in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and postconflict peace building efforts around the world. We need to change that.

This legislation establishes women's participation as a critical element of U.S. foreign policy. It would encourage the United States to assist women mediators and negotiators by addressing barriers to their equal and secure participation in peace processes.

It would institute comprehensive training modules on the protection, rights, and specific needs of women in conflict, and require the administration to evaluate the impact of U.S. foreign assistance on women's meaningful participation.

In addition, the Women, Peace, and Security Act would require the administration to report to Congress its strategy to promote women's participation in conflict prevention and resolution.

It would empower Congress to exercise oversight of that strategy's implementation.

As countries around the world are struggling with conflict, the United States should be empowering anyone and everyone who can help achieve lasting peace.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support the Women, Peace, and Security Act.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of this measure, and I am glad we are taking up this bill from our colleagues in the other body, Senators Shaheen and Capito, and I want to thank our colleagues who have worked so hard on the House version of this bill, Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Representative Noem.

Jan Schakowsky has brought forward a version of this bill for the last few Congresses. The House passed a version of this bill last year, and I am glad we are finally moving a version of it forward.

One of the hallmarks of the Obama administration foreign policy was the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security. It was based on a wealth of research that showed very clearly, as the chairman said, getting women involved in conflict prevention and resolution leads to more successful outcomes.

Since the launch of this plan, the United States has promoted efforts to enhance the physical and economic security of women around the world. We have sought to break through the barriers that have stopped women from being full participants in peace processes.

This bill would make these policies permanent. It would build on the Obama administration's achievements, making sure State Department, USAID, and Pentagon personnel fully understand just how important it is to get women involved in conflict prevention and resolution. It would also require annual reporting so Congress can stay apprised of these efforts.

Now, we have been working a few years to get this legislation across the finish line, and, frankly, I don't think we can wait another moment. The administration's budget proposal would slash funding for diplomacy and development to dangerous levels, and a current redesign effort at the State Department might strip out initiatives like Women, Peace, and Security. I hope that won't happen. I got assurances today that that won't happen. I hope that is right, but we have to still fight for this.

Congress has a role to play in foreign policy and, by passing this bill, it will be clear that we support efforts to expand opportunity and participation for women around the world.

I am pleased to support this measure. As always, Chairman Royce has been a bulwark of helping to push this through. I thank the Members who have worked so hard on it.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), a leader on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will close now since there are no further speakers on either side.

I want to start again by thanking Chairman Ed Royce for all of his work and for all of his collaboration working together with us; as well as Representatives Schakowsky and Noem, who worked very closely together, for their really hard work and really good work.

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons I always support a strong investment in development and diplomacy is that we get such a good bang for our buck. Diplomacy and development efforts help to build stability. They defuse crises, they prevent conflicts, they help lay the groundwork for a more secure and more prosperous world.

History and research have shown us that when women are involved in these processes, they work even better. So it is smart policy. It is not a matter of being condescending. It is a matter of smart policy.

Think about the alternatives, about when we don't have diplomacy to help spread peace. Conflicts grow into wars--sometimes wars that American men and women will be required to fight. Populations are driven from their homes, triggering humanitarian crises. And the cost of dealing with these problems down the road is far higher than the cost of investing in diplomacy and development right now.

So this legislation is a piece of that puzzle. It isn't the whole thing, but it is an important piece. It is an important part of making sure American diplomacy can succeed, and I am glad to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote. I thank Chairman Royce for his hard

work, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Joaquin Castro, for yielding to me.

I am so proud to rise in support of H.R. 2484, the Women, Peace, and Security Act, which I introduced along with my partner, Kristi Noem. We have been working on this bill for quite a while.

I want to really thank Chairman Ed Royce for not only his eloquent words today and his clear description about why this is so important, but for working closely with us to make this day a reality. I am hopeful that we will be able to go through the Senate and get this bill finally enacted.

The Women, Peace, and Security Act promotes the participation of women in the peace process and is a step forward for our security and our economic prosperity as well. When women are involved in peace negotiations, a peace agreement is more likely to last. In fact, the International Peace Institute found that a peace agreement is 35 percent more likely to last for at least 15 years if women participate in drafting the agreement. The study also found that with each 5 percent increase in women's participation in the political process, a nation is five times less likely to use violence when faced with international crisis or conflict.

When women and girls are equal partners in all aspects of decisionmaking, countries are more likely to be peaceful and economically prosperous.

Despite the strong evidence in favor of women's political participation, women remain underrepresented in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and the post-conflict peace-building efforts that are happening around the world, and the United States can help to change that.

The Women, Peace, and Security Act will build upon the 2011 National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security, which made clear that the meaningful inclusion of women in peace and security processes is imperative for national and global security. And you heard how in Northern Ireland and all the way to Rwanda, the participation of women has been absolutely essential.

Our legislation establishes women's participation as a permanent element of U.S. foreign policy. It would encourage the United States to assist women mediators and negotiators by addressing barriers to their equal and secure participation in the peace process.

It would institute comprehensive training modules on the protection, rights, and specific needs of women in conflict and require the administration to evaluate the impact of U.S. foreign assistance on women's meaningful participation.

In addition, Women, Peace, and Security Act would require the President to report to Congress its strategy to promote women's participation in conflict prevention and resolution, and it would empower Congress to exercise oversight of that strategy's implementation.

The United States plays a crucial role in encouraging peace agreements all over the world. By making sure

that we bring women into the peace process, we can improve national and global security.

So, once again, I just want to thank Congresswoman Noem, my partner on this bipartisan legislation, as well as Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel, for their support. I want to thank the many advocacy groups who have been persistent throughout these years in bringing it to us, the evidence of the success of women when women participate in the peace process.

So I thank the gentleman again for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2484, the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 which expresses that the United States should be a global leader in promoting the meaningful participation of women in efforts directed at conflict prevention, management, and resolution.

This bill directs the President to develop and submit to Congress a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy that will:

1. Be aligned with other nations' plans to improve and encourage women to participate in peace and security over processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision making; and

2. Lay out goals and evaluation plans to measure strategy effectiveness.

Additionally, H.R. 2484 directs that employees and contractors of the Department of State, Department of Defense, and the U.S. Agency for International Development that personnel deployed to countries or regions at risk or emerging from violent conflict be provided training in conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution.

This training will allow those deployed to these regions to collaborate and support women who live in these conflict ridden communities to develop peace and security strategies.

As a member of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, I understand the importance of women's security and its role in conflict prevention and resolution.

This is why in the 114th Congress I introduced H. Res. 528 that seeks to create a Victims of Terror Protection Fund for the displaced refugees, migrants and victims of Boko Haram's terror in the region, many of which are women and children.

One reason women play such a critical role in the peacebuilding process is because they constitute half of every community.

Educating women and men to work in tandem is an imperative step toward instilling peace in communities and mending broken bonds.

An important aspect of H.R. 2484 is the inclusion of training personnel who work firsthand in these conflicted regions regarding international human rights laws and the protection of trafficked people.

Nearly 21 million people have fallen victim to human trafficking globally, and more than half of them are women and girls.

These numbers are staggering, and victims who have been liberated from this awful slavery require special consideration and support to overcome the horrors they have experienced with the aid of women peacekeepers.

Women serve as incredible advocates for peace as central caretakers of the family and have already played prominent roles in peace processes in the Horn of Africa.

Overall, H.R. 2484 makes an important contribution by requiring the agencies that focus abroad to collaborate on incorporating women in the peacebuilding processes.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2484, the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017.